iLearn to Dance
by ycc1988
Summary: Carly discovers the perfect opportunity for Sam and Freddie to spend quality time together.
1. iCan't Dance

_**I was inspired by an old fic by Cheska(hyperactivecheskie) called "iMission Boogie". But I changed pretty much everything but the fact Freddie teaches Sam to dance. This is set after my other work, iSpill the Beans, so Carly knows that Freddie likes Sam.**_

_Sam tries to avoid a dance, and Carly finds out why. Freddie gets detention.  
_

**1: iCan't Dance (Genesis)**

When Carly and Sam headed for their lockers before lunch, they spotted a fellow student putting up a poster in the school hallway.

"Hey, look!" Carly said. "A Sadie Hawkins Dance next Saturday."

"Cool. So who are you thinking of asking?"

"I don't know," Carly replied.

"You know," Sam said, "I saw Mike looking at you in class today."

"Really? He's kind of cute."

"So ask him to the dance."

"Thanks, I probably will. So who are you asking?" Carly found out after a bad date with Freddie that he actually had feelings for Sam now, but suggesting Sam ask him out would have been certain death.

Sam suddenly became nervous. "I can't go. I'm busy that night."

"Doing what?"

"I, uh, have to go visit my dad in jail."

However, Carly vaguely remembered something that proved Sam was lying. "Didn't your dad get denied visitation rights after that huge prison fight last month?"

Carly did her best to remember the facts, and then it all came to her. Sam's dad was not only stripped of his visitation rights, he also had an extra six months added to his jail term. It seemed that every time he was about to be released, he did something to keep him locked up even longer. Of course, Sam couldn't care less. She had practically no memory of the jerk.

"Sam..." Carly, having figured out Sam was lying, was not going to let this slide.

"OK, OK! Truth is, I can't dance."

"And why am I not surprised?" someone asked.

Sam turned around in rage at who asked that question and found that Freddie had heard their conversation. She chases after the fleeing Freddie, but they ran into Mr. Devlin. "Running in the hallway," he said. "That'll be detention for both of you."

"Great," Freddie muttered. "An hour in detention with her." Freddie liked Sam, but given her meanness to him in return, getting stuck with her wasn't exactly something he was looking forward to. Sam raised her fist, but Freddie quickly gestured to Mr. Devlin, and she stopped.

"Well," said Mr. Devlin, "see you tonight, kids. I look forward to seeing you." Mr. Devlin was Ridgeway's top sadist and worse than Ms. Briggs. He walked off, looking for his next victim. As soon as he disappeared around the corner, Sam started chasing Freddie again. If either of them was allowed to insult the other, it was Sam, not Freddie.

* * *

Sam and Freddie headed to Carly's apartment after detention. It was Freddie's first ever, as he was so squeaky-clean she could never blame anything she did on him without making it sound ridiculous.

"Well, thanks to you," he said, "I got detention for the first time ever. You know how freaked out my mom is going to be?"

"Yeah, yeah. What else is new?"

Freddie knocked on the door, but Sam asked, "Why bother knocking?" She pulled out a hairpin, picked the lock, and went in as if it were her own home, which for all practical purposes it was.

Carly was on the couch. "Oh hey, looks like you two made it through detention without killing each other."

"Barely," Freddie replied.

Before Sam could respond, Freddie's mom entered. "Freddie! Where have you been?"

Sam took the pleasure of ratting him out. "He got detention."

"Fredward Benson, you got detention?" Freddie cringed when his mom used his full name.

"Yep," Sam answered. "Bad, bad Freddie." Freddie shot her a look.

"Freddie," Mrs. Benson commanded, "I want you to go to your room right now and check yourself for ticks."

"For the last time, mom, I don't have ticks!"

"Freddie," Mrs. Benson said sternly. There was no arguing with this woman, so Freddie got up to leave. "I can't believe you missed our dance class," she continued.

Sam saw the perfect insult opportunity. "Dance class? Let me guess, your mom's your dance partner."

"No," Freddie said, but it wasn't believable. "Yes," he admitted.

Mrs. Benson was growing impatient. "Freddie, let's go."

"Later, Fredward," Sam said as Freddie and his mom left.

"Stop calling me that!"


	2. iWanna Dance With Somebody

_Carly sees the perfect opportunity for Sam and Freddie to spend some quality time together._

**2: iWanna Dance with Somebody (Whitney Houston)**

Carly had been amusing herself with everything that had just happened. "You know," she suggested, "maybe Freddie can teach you to dance."

Sam liked the idea, but wasn't about to do anything that hinted at all that she liked Freddie. "Are you out of your mind? Me dancing with Freddie?"

"Why not? You won't have to make lame excuses anymore, Freddie gets to dance with someone not related to him, you both win. Besides—"

"But, Freddie?"

"Come on," Carly said, "what other guy is going to tolerate you stepping all over his poor feet?" Asking a random guy to teach you to dance wasn't exactly cool, and Freddie was Sam's only real male friend.

Still, Sam wasn't comfortable with the arrangement. "I don't think—"

"If you want I can ask him for you."

Sam gave in. "Fine. But this is your idea." No way would she admit she liked Carly's idea, but the prospect of spending quality time with Freddie was too good to turn down in the end.

"No problem."

Just then, Spencer arrived in the elevator with a cart loaded with rolls of newspaper.

"Hey, Spencer," Carly greeted him.

"Hey, my little sister and her friend who has taken up residence in my apartment."

"What is all that?" Sam asked.

"Didn't you hear?" Spencer asked, unloading the cart. "I'm making a giant paper-mâché sculpture for your school dance next week."

"What of?"

"A couple dancing."

"Creative," Carly said sarcastically.

"Yeah." Spencer thought Carly was complimenting him. "Anyway, I got to go."

"But you just came back," Carly said.

"I still have to buy the glue and fabric for the clothes," Spencer explained.

"OK, see you for—" Spencer was gone before Carly could finish. "Dinner," she said to no one in particular.

Carly turned back to Sam. "So yeah, I'll ask Freddie if he'll teach you to dance."

"Like he'd be willing to teach me."

Carly wanted to tell Sam the truth, but she had sworn to Freddie to keep his secret. "You never know," she said. "Anyway, while Freddie is checking himself for ticks, why don't we come up with some material for our next show?"

"I don't wanna work!"

"Come on," Carly said as she dragged Sam up the stairs.

* * *

Later that night, Carly knocked on Freddie's door.

"Hey," Freddie said as he opened the door.

"Hey. So how did the tick inspection go?"

Freddie smirked. "You really think I check myself for ticks? I was upgrading the software for our website."

"Yeah, that sure beats checking your skin for parasites."

"Carly," Freddie complained.

"Sorry. Listen, the Sadie Hawkins dance is coming up and--"

Freddie was confused. "I thought we decided to just be friends."

Carly grinned. Two months ago Freddie would have fainted if Carly even mentioned the word 'dance'. "No, I wasn't asking you to the dance. I was talking about Sam."

"What?" Sam dancing at all was hard to visualize, and surely pigs would fly before Sam danced with him, Freddie thought.

"Sam doesn't know how to dance and I thought maybe you could teach her."

"So you want me to teach Sam to dance so she can ask out some jerk." Freddie was torn. On one hand, he really wanted to help Sam out. On the other hand, he would be helping Sam get a date with another guy.

"Hey, at least you'll get to dance with Sam all week."

Freddie gave in. "Fine, I'll let her trample my feet for a week. But only because you asked."

Carly smirked. "Sure, keep acting like you don't like her."

"Just tell her to meet me in the iCarly studio tomorrow morning."

"Sure. Well, good night."

Carly went back inside her apartment and closed the door. Freddie just stood there, taking everything in. "Me and Sam dancing," he said to himself. "Wow."


	3. iSlipped, iStumbled, iFell

_The lessons begin._

**3: iSlipped, iStumbled, iFell (Elvis Presley)**

The next morning, Freddie was in the iCarly studio, moving equipment and furniture around to maximize the area in which he and Sam could dance. He tossed the beanbags to one side and stowed his tech equipment in as safe a location as possible, knowing that Sam was bound to lose her footing many times that day. It wasn't long before Sam walked in.

"Hey, look who's here to trample all over my feet," Freddie said.

"Do you want to do this or not?"

"If you're up to it."

"Then quit standing around and show me some moves already, will ya?"

Freddie chuckled; they had yet to start and already Sam was getting ahead of herself. "Not so fast. First you have to learn how to hold your partner."

"What?"

"You do realize that dancing involves some body contact, right?" Sam did, but it was still hard to believe that she would be doing this with Freddie, of all people.

The first dance was the waltz; the first move was the box-step. The steps were easy enough to remember, but trying to execute them was another matter.

"Ow! Augh! Sam..." Freddie thought he must have broken every bone in his foot by now.

"Hey, a student is only as good as her teacher. And wear some better deodorant next time."

"Oh, shut up."

"Fine."

It wasn't long before Sam stepped on Freddie again.

"Ow!"

Sam smirked. "Who's making noise now, wuss?"

Freddie noticed that the song playing was "Three Times a Lady" by Lionel Ritchie. He definitely saw the irony in that. Sam was hardly ladylike. She was brash, rude, and all sorts of adjectives. But Freddie wouldn't have it any other way.

Over the course of the next two days, Freddie taught Sam the most basic waltz moves. They were both amazed at how much time they were spending together, and without Carly. However, they both saw it as a friend helping a friend, even though they both wished it was something more.

Sam had noticed on the second day, Freddie had worn some Randy Jackson cologne. She laughed inside; she had told him he stunk just to pick on him, and was surprised he took it to heart. Furthermore, the initial awkwardness of dancing together was gone. The short squabbles they had whenever she stepped on his feet would continue, but as long as they were in the studio they were student and teacher, not two confused teens wondering what in the world they were doing with each other.

Carly and Spencer, for the most part, left them alone. Both of them wondered if Sam and Freddie were getting closer. Each of them knew half the story between Sam and Freddie, but swore to keep them to themselves, so the two dance partners would have to work things out on their own.


	4. iStand Alone

_Sam finds a date to the dance. It's not Freddie._

**4: iStand Alone (Steve Perry)**

Carly was at her locker when Freddie walked up to her, wearing new shoes. "Hey," he said.

"Hey, Freddie. New shoes?"

"Yeah. With steel toes, of course."

"It's that bad?"

"You can never be too protected."

Just then Sam walked up and immediately saw Freddie's new shoes. "Well, that's a positive student evaluation," she quipped.

"That's because you stepped on me twenty-seven times last weekend," Freddie retorted. And with the entire week still ahead of him, he knew he needed the shoes, as much as it offended Sam.

"So? Sunday after lunch I only stepped on you four times."

"Just try not to— Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Freddie yelled at Sam, who was walking off.

Carly pointed to some guys down the hall. "Looks like Sam's found someone to take to the dance."

"Tell him to get some steel-toed shoes of his own." Freddie knew all along that he wouldn't be the one dancing with Sam come Saturday night, but he still couldn't help but be jealous.

"Come on, she'll improve."

"Hopefully."

Sam made her way back to Carly and Freddie, staring Freddie down the whole way. "OK, listen, Freddo. If I end up embarrassing myself in front of Tom because you couldn't teach me to dance in time, I'm gonna beat the living daylights out of you."

"Sure," Freddie said with a fake smile. "No pressure at all."

Carly smirked. "You really should pay more respect to your teacher."

"So?" Sam asked. "'Should' doesn't mean 'must'."

Carly shook her head. "I gotta go." She headed off for her next class.

"Well," Freddie said, "see you tonight for another session of torture.

"I'm looking forward to it too," Sam growled in response. They both left for class, headed in opposite directions.

* * *

That afternoon, Carly was watching television when Freddie knocked on the door. He happened to be the last one to arrive that day. "Come in," Carly said.

Freddie entered and dumped his backpack next to the couch.

"Sam's upstairs already."

"Whatever," Freddie replied. "I can't believe I'm teaching Sam to dance so she can ask out Tom. Some friend he is."

"You know him?"

"Yeah, he's in the Yearbook Club with me."

"Well, you can't blame him for not knowing your secret.

Freddie flopped down on the couch. "I know."

"And you better act normal up there too," Carly warned.

"That's easy. We dance, she steps on me, we bicker, and then we start the whole process over again. And you know what?"

"What?"

Freddie chucked a bit. "If it wasn't me she was bickering with, this whole thing would be laughable."

"Just get up there before she gets mad you're late."

Freddie got off the couch and headed up the stairs. He would make Sam the best dancer he could in the time he had left. It didn't matter if nobody at the dance knew where Sam got her moves from; Sam would know. Freddie could only hope she'd appreciate it.


	5. iHate You, Darling

_Have Sam and Freddie danced together for the last time?_

**5: iHate You, Darling (Cole Porter)**

As the afternoon turned to evening, Sam and Freddie were toiling away on the waltz. The song they had been dancing to ended. "There," Sam said. "I danced a whole song without stepping on you. Happy now?"

"Impressive."

"You thought a tomboy like me could never learn to dance, didn't you?"

Freddie smirked. "Oh, so you think you can dance now, don't you? Let's see you take on the foxtrot."

"The what?"

"And you thought we were done."

The next day, Spencer was trying to get strips of paper-mâché off his hands, having tried to dance with the female portion of his sculpture. Meanwhile, Freddie was up in the studio teaching Sam the foxtrot. He figured there was a very miniscule chance that she would need this particular dance, but it was better that she'd be prepared.

Michael Bublé's "The More I See You" was blaring from the speakers. Freddie thought about the lyrics of the song. Each song he danced with Sam deepened his feelings for her and tore his heart apart even more. But he wouldn't break his promise to himself. He would teach Sam to dance, Tom or no Tom.

Sam's feelings for Freddie were growing too. Tom was handsome, but Sam couldn't help but wonder if she would have been taking Freddie to the dance if she had been more bold. But she thought she knew the answer: Freddie would laugh at her and embarrass her if she had ever tried to ask him out.

The music ended. "You pick up quick," Freddie complimented.

"Yeah, thanks, whatever. Are we done for today yet?"

"Yeah. So tomorrow we have iCarly and then we have two more days to polish you off."

"What I'm still not good enough?" Sam was really sore from all the dancing and was really thankful iCarly gave them a day off.

Freddie laughed. "Are you kidding? I've only taught you the bare minimum you need to survive Saturday night. And we still have one more dance to do."

"OK," Sam groaned.

"Well, see you tomorrow."

"Good night and good riddance."

Freddie rolled his eyes as he left for his own apartment. He wondered if Sam would ever appreciate his efforts, not knowing she already did.

* * *

The next night was iCarly night.

Sam decided to add a line of her own. "So, if you go to Ridgeway here in Seattle and you still haven't found a guy to dance with, your answer is right behind that camera."

"Yes, Sam, thanks for telling half a million people I don't have a date to the dance."

Carly sensed a fight starting and took over. "OK! To wrap up tonight's show: hit it, Sam!"

Sam complied and started the Random Dancing segment, which all the kids felt was an appropriate way to end the show given the school dance that weekend.

"And we're clear!"

Sam immediately headed for the door. "Time for ham."

"So you really don't have a date for the dance?" Carly asked once Sam left.

"No I don't, thanks for asking." The truth was he had turned down every girl who had asked him, a decent number. He'd rather stay home than dance with someone other than Sam.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"It's OK, I'll just spend my Saturday night setting up the new audio mixer." Freddie had always wanted to do iCarly in stereo, but he needed new equipment to do it. It would be a long night of wiring and testing, however.

"Fun."

"Yeah, not really."

"So how's the dancing going?" Carly asked.

"Pretty good, actually. She's got the waltz pretty much down and I'm teaching her the foxtrot just in case."

"What about the slow dance? You know, arms around each other, just swaying back and forth, looking into each other's eyes..."

So far, Freddie had been teaching ballroom dancing, but he knew the dance she really needed was actually the simplest. Still, he shuddered at the thought. "I'm saving that for last," he said.

Carly grinned. "Why, afraid to get close and personal with the girl you're supposed to hate?"

"Terrified."

"You'll live. Remember to turn everything off before you head back down."

"Sure. See ya, Carly."

Freddie knew he would have to do his best on Friday not to let his feelings show even as he stood just inches from Sam. He wondered if he could pull it off.

* * *

Friday came. "Hey, Fredward," Sam said as she walked through the studio doors.

"Hi, Sam. Ready for your final dance lesson?"

"Bring it on."

Freddie took a deep breath. This was the point of no return. "OK, I've taught you the waltz and foxtrot, but when the music really slows down it'll be this dance you'll be doing."

Sam couldn't believe it. "The dance's tomorrow and you still have another dance to teach me?"

"Don't worry, the hardest part of this dance is that you have to do it with me. Come here."

Sam had no idea what Freddie meant, but walked over to him anyway. She was surprised when Freddie took her hands and put them on his shoulders. He then put his hands on Sam's waist, wondering if he'd live. Fortunately, he did.

"Wow, you're not kidding," Sam said. "So what are the moves for this dance?"

"There's just one rule: whatever I do you have to do in reverse."

"But how—"

"You'll learn." Freddie hit a button on his belt remote and started up the music. Sam must have stepped on Freddie even more than the day they first started, but Freddie didn't seem to mind. He expected it. Right now all he was concerned about was not letting Sam know how much he would give for another chance to dance like this. He didn't know Sam was feeling the same way. As the evening wound down, Freddie was wishing he hadn't put Peabo Bryson's "If Ever You're in My Arms Again" on his playlist. He wondered if it would be his last song ever with Sam.


	6. iCan't Fight This Feeling

_Sam leaves the dance early._

**6: iCan't Fight This Feeling (REO Speedwagon)**

Spencer's sculpture was standing prominently at the entrance to the school gymnasium. Inside, Sam was with Tom. "You're a really good dancer," he said.

"Thanks."

"Hey, why don't I get us some punch?"

"That'll be great."

Sam wasn't alone for long, however. Carly had spotted her and excused herself from Mike so she could talk to her. "Hey, where's Tom?"

"Oh, he went to get some punch. But guess what?"

"What?"

"He told me I was a good dancer."

Carly grinned. "Well, looks like you owe your dorky friend some thanks."

Sam grimaced. She had been trying to forget about Freddie the entire night. "Yeah, whatever."

Suddenly, Carly realized something. "Hey, isn't the snack bar that way?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So why did Tom just head the other way if he said he was getting punch?"

Sam jaw dropped. There Tom was, dancing with another girl.

"You wanna head home?" Carly asked.

"Nah, I'll probably head over to your place and have some of your food."

"You want me to go with you?"

"I'd rather be alone. Go dance with Mike."

Carly wrapped her arm around Sam. "I'm sorry."

"It's OK." Sam walked up to Tom, punched his face in, and then left.

* * *

Freddie plugged in the new audio mixer. He then fed test signals through each channel to check his setup. Satisfied with his work, Freddie plugged in his Pearpod and hit play. The song just happened to be "Dancing With Myself" by Billy Idol. _"My Pearpod sure has a cruel sense of humor,"_ he thought. Suddenly Sam walked in.

"Sam, shouldn't you be at the dance?" he asked.

"Tom dumped me."

"Tom dumped you? At the dance?"

"Yes, you dolt, didn't you hear me the first time?"

"That's terrible."

"Then shut up and stop rubbing it in."

Both of them said nothing for a while. Sam was thinking about all her previous dates. Frankie, Jonah, and now Tom all cheated on her. Shane never made up his mind, and had been afraid of all girls ever since the incident. Rueben had been a nutcase, and she never wanted to go out with him anyway.

And then there was Freddie. Even with all the other boys in Sam's past, Freddie was the one there when it really mattered. When she and Carly first became web stars, he was the one who made it possible. When Sam hacked the school computer system, Freddie didn't rat her out. When Sam traded the first ever iCarly T-shirt for concert tickets, he was the one to finally get them to make up. Freddie's locator chip in his head had saved her and Carly's lives in Japan. Freddie was her first kiss. Finally, Freddie had taught her to dance expecting nothing in return.

"Why did you do all this?" Sam asked.

"Do what?"

"Teach me to dance."

"Because you're my friend." Well, that was one reason.

"So if were one of your other friends, you would spend a whole week teaching them to dance just the same."

"Well, Carly knows how to dance and I'm not going to dance with a guy," Freddie joked.

"What if it was a girl?"

Freddie did not like where this was going. "What's your point?"

"Do you like me?"

Freddie froze with shock.

Sam was growing impatient. "Well do you or don't you?"

"I like you."

Sam had figured that he did, but to hear him say it still took her a little by surprise. "You like me. Even though we're always fighting and I keep pushing you around and calling you a dork."

Freddie sighed. "I know, I must be crazy."

"You got that right."

They both sat there for a while. Freddie was wondering if Sam would keep rejecting and rejecting him just as Carly did, but with a flurry of insults to boot. Sam, however, was building up her courage to share her side of the story.

"Hey," she said.

"What?"

"Would you like to dance?"

"What for?"

"So we can celebrate our craziness together."

Freddie understood what Sam meant. He didn't care that Sam didn't actually tell him she liked him back; it was clear enough. "I'd be delighted," he said. He got up and turned on the music. REO Speedwagon was now singing "Can't Fight This Feeling". Sam and Freddie held each other and started swaying to the music. They danced song after song, not knowing that Carly and Spencer would be home early. Spencer's paper- mâché sculpture had burst into flame, bringing the dance to an early end.


End file.
